Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday categorically said that Bangladesh won't accept any foreign meddling into the January 7 national polls.
She also sounded a strong warning that the conspirators against the election will suffer severe consequences.
“Those who are plotting (here) to thwart the election will have to face proper punishment one day. And anyone from international level comes to poke nose into (our affairs), we’ll not accept it. Bangladesh didn’t accept it in the past,” she said.
The AL chief made this remark while addressing a campaign rally in Kotalipara upazila in Gopalganj district.
Bangabandhu's younger daughter Sheikh Rehana accompanied her sister Hasina at the rally in Kotalipara from a campaign rally in Tungipara.
Not mentioning the name of any foreign country that opposed the Independence of Bangladesh, the AL president said those powers failed during the Liberation War in 1971.
“We’ll show them that we can achieve victory in terms of economic progress,” she said, adding that Inshallah, Bangladesh would be taken to a glorified position by reducing the poverty rate further to a percentage which is lower than that of the rich countries.
The PM urged the new voters not to miss the chance of casting their first-time votes and give mandate for her party in the 12th parliamentary election for the sake of progress of Bangladesh.
She said those who are from the young generation and youth society and those who are first-time voters, should not spoil their maiden votes.
“Those who are new voters will have to help Bangladesh to advance further on the development journey, maintaining the current pace of progress by casting vote for the 'boat' symbol and creating scope for AL to form the government,” she added.
The AL president said her party believes that the power of youth means the advancement of Bangladesh.
“We’ll build a skilled and smart youth society through generation of employment, ensuring vocational training, technical education, technological education and modern education for them,” she said.
Noting that it is most unfortunate that BNP-Jamaat grouping started unleashing arson violence and killing the people, Hasina called upon all to resist such criminal acts.
“Catch those who burn, harm (people) or conspire to thwart the election and give them proper punishment, I would like to urge all to do it from your position and place,” she said.
Mentioning that it is the right of people to cast votes, she said it is AL that has established the rights to votes and food today.
“I would like to request you all to stay awake so that none can play ducks and drakes with this country and the fate of this country anymore,” said Hasina.
AL advisory council member Kazi Akram Uddin Ahmed, Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim MP, Sheikh Helal Uddin MP, Sheikh Tonmoy MP, Sheikh Jewel’s wife Sheikh Shahana Yasmin Champa and AL joint secretary general AFM Bahauddin Nasim, among others, were present on the dais.
Kotalipara upazila unit AL president Bhabendra Nath Biswas presided over the rally that turned into a human sea.
Later, Sheikh Hasina along with Sheikh Rehana joined another election rally at Kalkini Upazila in Madaripur in the afternoon.
Addressing the mammoth rally at Kalkini Syed Abul Hossain University College ground, the AL president said BNP leaders Khaleda Zia and Tarique Rahman will be tried one day for killing many people by giving orders.
Reiterating that BNP is a terrorist party and Jamaat is a party of war criminals, she questioned what rights they have to do politics here in Bangladesh as they kill and burn people. “They are a party of killers,” she said.
Terming late Ziaur Rahman, Khaleda Zia and Tarique Zia as killers, Hasina said, “No reign of these killers will be there anymore in this country. They will be tried on murder charges a day as they killed so many people in Bangladesh by giving orders,” she said.
The AL chief asked the people to cast their votes as early as possible on the balloting day as a large turnout of voters is important in this election.
“Cast your votes, going to the polling station in the morning on the polls day …. Today an international conspiracy is on against Bangladesh. They want to play ducks and drakes with Bangladesh. But we won’t let it be done,” she said.
She remembered that Syed Abul Hossain, former lawmaker elected from the constituency, was the communication minister when false corruption allegation in the Padma Bridge project was brought against the government.
“Today we’ve constructed Padma Bridge with our own finances,” she said, praying for the salvation of the departed soul of Syed Abul Hossain.
Focusing her government's success, the premier said today Bangladesh has changed in the last 15 years. Bangladesh has today witnessed development in every sector from economy to infrastructures, social safety net, education and health. “Bangladesh is now a changed Bangladesh,” she said.
Reiterating her call to the new voters to vote for boat symbol, Hasina said, “We want to build the young generation as the smart and skilled youth force.”
The AL chief introduced her party’s candidates -- Noor-E-Alam Chowdhury in Madaripur-1, Shajahan Khan in Madaripur-2 and Abdus Sobhan Golap in Madaripur-3— with the participants of the grand rally and sought votes for them in the January-7 election.
AL presidium member Shajahan Khan, AL joint secretary general AFM Bahauddin Nasim and Abdus Sobhan Miah, among others, spoke at the rally presided over by Kalkini Upazila AL unit vice president Abul Kalam Azad.